Poetry and Prose by #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow, Co-Author of #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women, and Jan/Feb 2022 Spillwords Press Author of the Month
I wrote two poems with the word prompts from Twitter this week. Here is the second one.
Shadow’s Sown
I explore the depths of the wind and the space that lives in between this moment and the next
a balance of learning and of unlearning arises again
when minimal expectations are drawn together like a bow
representing the shadow of words left behind to sow
We are at that time of year in the Pacific Northwest when the hiking trails begin to dry out, and hiking becomes something that I will take part in each week. For those of you who’ve followed me for years, you know how much I love to be out in the forest and at the coast, two of my favorite places, regardless of where I am living and or visiting.
Here are some pics from my first short hike of the season.
For those of you celebrating Easter, Happy Easter, for those celebrating Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak, and for all of you, may your day, and week be peaceful, and full of love.
Journey with me, if you will, a trip down an unknown street, and into an unknown land filled with mystery and confusion, it is a gift of life’s perfusion.
In one hand we can hold, if we are so bold, this conundrum. A hidden balance, scales moving back and forth in a dance that requires special attention to see it’s worn out portension.
It’s like that often, and yet, most can only hold the one view, a blow to soften.
The myriad of challenges and disappointments that are part of the movement, seen and unseen, just like in a dream. How do we then find our preen?
Practice makes the dance more noticeable to the senses, yes, and also to the part of ourselves that creates balance between sensibility and our inner tranquility.
There is much that can be learned from within, if we learn to quiet our mind, and sit in stillness, thus becoming a silent witness.
Have you ever heard of the concept, the causal loop? Well, though I am familiar with the concepts that make up the causal loop, in regard to people and performance, I had never really conceptualized them like I am about to present them here.
It is important in any leadership, nay, any team environment to understand a very basic principle. Ready? Good. Here it is.
People and performance both matter. Seems like common sense, yes? Well, often only one side of the causal loop is focused on, which creates an imbalance in a very functional system. How does it work? Good question. Let’s take a look, shall we.
The Causal Loop Albany, Oregon 2021 Photo taken by Author
The Causal Loop
People
In any system, symmetry, or balance, is created when all the system pieces work together. With both symmetry and balance, you can move forward, or produce an output, if you like. And, like any system, when one part is dysfunctional, or is not being paid attention to, the whole system suffers. It may, for instance, still produce an output, yet there will be long-term sacrifices.
It is common for leaders to get caught up in metrics. Meaning, at some point in their tenure, and sometimes this can last the entirety of their tenure, they become obsessed with “the numbers.” It matters less what those numbers, or metrics are, what matters, is that when, as a leader, we become obsessed with results, we forget about the people that make the results happen.
Without people, results are an impossibility. Therefore, if you find yourself stuck on metrics, remember, that focusing solely on outcomes may work for a time. Really, it may. Yet, a performance only approach is not sustainable. Period.
In time, what will occur is that people will burn out, quit, and overall morale will decline. Why? Because their needs are not being prioritized. Simple.
And, like any system, if the parts of the system are not being prioritized and taken care of, the system will, in time, fail. It will always occur this way. Always.
Performance
Now, conversely if as a leader you are always focused on the people, and never focus on the performance, the system will also become dysfunctional, yet will do so in a completely different way.
When the culture of a workplace is the single focus on a team, or in a department, or in an organization or business, then leadership is missing a very important part of the balance of creating and maintaining an effective system. Performance.
Simply, there must be a focus on both people and performance for movement, and eventual traction to occur. A balance, if you like.
It is very normal on a team, any team, for the focus to shift back and forth between the workplace culture and the people, to performance. Shifting of this kind is especially normal on new teams.
I’ve written extensively about the team I work on, and have more forthcoming, and about how the entire first year was spent developing relationships. That was necessary. As it was necessary in year 2 to develop metrics, and in year 2.5 and 3 to focus on performance and people. Both.
There is a balance that can be found, and I imagine it is different on each team, and within each organizational or business culture. Yet, a leader can find it by paying attention. Paying attention to the people and the performance.
Movement and Traction
When you have achieved balance, know that the balance will never really truly be 50% people, 50% performance. Meaning, that sometimes there will be more of a focus on people, and at times on performance. It’s really most important to develop an awareness about how the causal loop functions as a system.
If you sway one way too far, you can move back to center, and vice versa.
Now, when you’ve increased your awareness about the causal loop, and pay attention to both people and performance, guess what?
Things will begin to move, and in some cases, like ours, move so quickly and beautifully, it is quite magical. And, once things start to move, traction will occur.
With traction, you are more than moving as a team. You are moving as a team while being pointed in the exact same direction all focused on the exact same goals and outcomes. Therefore, your performance and results show this truth.
Remember, it takes time to get to a balance between a focus on people and performance; and, that it is the awareness about the importance of both that matters. And, that? Well, that’s progress. Beautiful.
Develop. Inspire. Transform. 